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RO_E_CANNOT_ACTIVATE_FULL_TRUST_SERVER
Universal application cannot activate a full-trust packaged WinRT server
RO_E_CANNOT_ACTIVATE_FULL_TRUST_SERVER is HRESULT 2147483680 (0x80000020) from winerror.h. The documented description is “A universal application process cannot activate a packaged WinRT server that is declared to run full trust.” The relevant context is the Windows Runtime metadata, object lifetime, asynchronous operation, activation, and apartment model.
The caller should keep this result intact through logging, exception translation, and RPC or language projection boundaries.
What to verify
Verify that the caller process trust level, package identity, server declaration, activation contract, and supported broker boundary are confirmed.
Where it is encountered
- C++/WinRT, WRL, .NET projections, or native WinRT ABI calls.
- Runtime-class activation, WinMD reflection, asynchronous objects, observable state, or view lifecycle.
- Cross-thread and cross-apartment handoff between UI, ASTA, STA, MTA, broker, and background work.
The immediate focus is package activation where a universal application process requests a server declared for full-trust execution.
Correct handling and recovery
Move the privileged work behind an allowed app service or brokered contract, or use a server declaration compatible with the caller trust level. Do not weaken trust declarations as a workaround.
An unchanged retry loop can duplicate effects, deepen reentrancy, or hide an invalid lifetime transition.
Difference from nearby HRESULTs
It has a universal-app caller; RO_E_CANNOT_ACTIVATE_UNIVERSAL_APPLICATION_SERVER has a full-trust caller and incompatible server declaration.
Developer and administrator guidance
After it, avoid broad permission grants or system-wide resets unless code-specific evidence proves a global configuration problem.
Practical scenario
A UWP front end directly activates a packaged desktop WinRT server marked full trust. The design switches to an approved app-service boundary with validated inputs.
References
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